Stories and photos about life along the Continental Divide in Montana between the Clark Fork (westslope) and Big Hole (eastslope) Rivers. Fresh back from a Fulbright in South China, I am looking at American culture/nature through new eyes. Backpacking, cross country skiing, fishing, hunting, hiking... this is the story of a 4-season outdoors person.
30 July 2007
Big Hole River Grayling: YouTube Image Event
Nice work, Justin Ringsak. Kudos to all the actors, set designers, etc.
"President Bush Grills an Endangered Species" on YouTube at
Hi Pat. I don't know if you remember me but I met you when I attended a Big Hole River Foundation meeting a year or so ago (I was interested in checking out the organization with thoughts of joining the board). Anyway, I recently sent a young Journalism grad student, Jonathan Stumpf, your way for a project he was working on. Now it's my turn to pick your brain. Audubon Magazine has just assigned me an essay about grayling in the Big Hole. I wrote an essay about grayling for Fly Rod & Reel back in 1992 or so (it's been re-published this year in my book, Streams of Consciousness). I want to revisit the subject 15 years later, but instead of fishing for grayling--particularly during this time of fragility--I want to snorkel a few grayling holes and just watch them in their natural habitat for a little bit. I was wondering if you would be willing to escort me to some likely spots. I'll also probably be wanting to talk to you at length about where we are in terms of grayling conservation. I know they've been dropped as an ESA candidate, and there's a suit from the Center for Biological Diversity--has it been filed or just threatened? I'd like to talk to you about the Big Hole Watershed Committee and their functioning and failings. And I'd like to ask you about any ranchers I could single out for doing good things down there. We're trying to tell the most upbeat story we can, although, of course, it's not a very upbeat situation. But I'm looking for any successes we can trumpet. I'd love it if you could get back to me and let me know about your availability. I'm over in Missoula and will be coming down there one day in the near future, depending somewhat on what your schedule might allow. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Jeff Hull 27075 Nine Mile Road Huson, MT 59846 406-626-1834 jeffhull@9mile.com starkmountain@earthlink.net
Pat, I am very disappointed that you would associate yourself with this type of dribble which is not and should not be part of the discourse on the future of the Big Hole and its Grayling. I first fished for Montana Grayling in the Big Hole in the early 1970s. I visit Montana regularly will retire there next year from my second career. I have been following the plight of the Big Hole for years and plan to do my part to improve the river and its environs once I am retired. The YouTube video, although humorous, comes across as a few disrespectful, radical elites who see nothing but evil in anyone that doesn’t agree with them. The utter disrespect shown the institution of the Presidency and its current incumbent paints the group as fringe kooks with little or no credibility. Even if you believe the ESA decision was politically motivated, the method by which you portray that motivation is really childish and smacks of spoiled, elite, environmentalists who are throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get their way. That type of behavior will not garner support from mainstream America, no matter how sincere you really are.
Mike, we'll have to disagree on the relative merits of President George W. Bush.
As an historian & environmentalist, I believe he goes down as the worst president ever. The tragic & stupid war against Iraq is bad enough, but add to that his poor judgment in appointing agency officials (Julie MacDonald comes to mind), his hearty disregard for democracy & the courts, and his willingness to be a pawn for the radical, reactionary, neo-con Right...
Let's just hope we don't get a Bush third term with McCain. Another thousand years in Iraq, indeed.
It took fluvial Arctic grayling tens of thousands of years to evolve in headwater habitats of the Northern Rockies. It's taken ranchers and "modern" America just a hundred years to push them to the brink of extinction. And now the Bush administration is willing to give them the final push over the cliff.
The problem with a lot of otherwise good hearted conservationist/anglers is that, while they profess a love for nature, they will not stand up and do what is politically required to defend it.
Hi Pat. I don't know if you remember me but I met you when I attended a Big Hole River Foundation meeting a year or so ago (I was interested in checking out the organization with thoughts of joining the board). Anyway, I recently sent a young Journalism grad student, Jonathan Stumpf, your way for a project he was working on. Now it's my turn to pick your brain. Audubon Magazine has just assigned me an essay about grayling in the Big Hole. I wrote an essay about grayling for Fly Rod & Reel back in 1992 or so (it's been re-published this year in my book, Streams of Consciousness). I want to revisit the subject 15 years later, but instead of fishing for grayling--particularly during this time of fragility--I want to snorkel a few grayling holes and just watch them in their natural habitat for a little bit. I was wondering if you would be willing to escort me to some likely spots. I'll also probably be wanting to talk to you at length about where we are in terms of grayling conservation. I know they've been dropped as an ESA candidate, and there's a suit from the Center for Biological Diversity--has it been filed or just threatened? I'd like to talk to you about the Big Hole Watershed Committee and their functioning and failings. And I'd like to ask you about any ranchers I could single out for doing good things down there. We're trying to tell the most upbeat story we can, although, of course, it's not a very upbeat situation. But I'm looking for any successes we can trumpet. I'd love it if you could get back to me and let me know about your availability. I'm over in Missoula and will be coming down there one day in the near future, depending somewhat on what your schedule might allow. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.
ReplyDeleteJeff Hull
27075 Nine Mile Road
Huson, MT 59846
406-626-1834
jeffhull@9mile.com
starkmountain@earthlink.net
Pat,
ReplyDeleteI am very disappointed that you would associate yourself with this type of dribble which is not and should not be part of the discourse on the future of the Big Hole and its Grayling. I first fished for Montana Grayling in the Big Hole in the early 1970s. I visit Montana regularly will retire there next year from my second career. I have been following the plight of the Big Hole for years and plan to do my part to improve the river and its environs once I am retired. The YouTube video, although humorous, comes across as a few disrespectful, radical elites who see nothing but evil in anyone that doesn’t agree with them. The utter disrespect shown the institution of the Presidency and its current incumbent paints the group as fringe kooks with little or no credibility. Even if you believe the ESA decision was politically motivated, the method by which you portray that motivation is really childish and smacks of spoiled, elite, environmentalists who are throwing a tantrum because they didn’t get their way. That type of behavior will not garner support from mainstream America, no matter how sincere you really are.
Mike, we'll have to disagree on the relative merits of President George W. Bush.
ReplyDeleteAs an historian & environmentalist, I believe he goes down as the worst president ever. The tragic & stupid war against Iraq is bad enough, but add to that his poor judgment in appointing agency officials (Julie MacDonald comes to mind), his hearty disregard for democracy & the courts, and his willingness to be a pawn for the radical, reactionary, neo-con Right...
Let's just hope we don't get a Bush third term with McCain. Another thousand years in Iraq, indeed.
It took fluvial Arctic grayling tens of thousands of years to evolve in headwater habitats of the Northern Rockies. It's taken ranchers and "modern" America just a hundred years to push them to the brink of extinction. And now the Bush administration is willing to give them the final push over the cliff.
The problem with a lot of otherwise good hearted conservationist/anglers is that, while they profess a love for nature, they will not stand up and do what is politically required to defend it.